Design Crush: Black Windows & Glass Doors

By Kate Riley • February 29, 2016

Last year I painted my French doors, again. I chose black and I’ve loved the look ever since. Lately I’ve been adding even more black to my home, most recently some planters in the rear yard, I’ll share those later this week.

Black windows and glass doors look especially modern with no window treatments, although I do love the simple sheers used in the bathroom image below. Black windows or doors add sophistication to a space and dramatic contrast against white walls and trim.

So often in remodeling we opt for white windows, doors, and cabinetry; since black cabinets and appliances are on the rise in kitchen renovation, these images tempt one to choose black for windows and doors too.

Lovely aren’t they? You can paint your existing windows or doors black, the important thing is to make sure you use the right paint for your interior or exterior windows and doors, there are many tutorials online.

On a separate note, I didn’t watch the Academy Awards last night, but I did follow Twitter for the red carpet fashion and winners. My favorite gowns were Julianne Moore’s beaded black Chanel, Charlize’s plunging red Dior, and Lady Gaga’s structured Maxwell pantsuit, I also loved the floral detail on Cate Blanchett’s seafoam Armani Prive. I have seen only a handful of the movies nominated, but was glad to hear Leo finally got his Oscar. What was your favorite gown from the night or film that was nominated?

15 comments

I share your crush, Kate! I always think back to that gorgeous house in ¨It’s Complicated¨, with those beautiful black kitchen windows and patio doors…On the Oscar note, my favorites were Margot Robbie and Kate Winslet :)

I have been tempted to do this for some time, but my question: do you think this can work successfully in my den–an ordinary room with ordinary (6 ft) French doors (5 pairs) that look out on my very ordinary back yard? I ask b/c most pics I can find are of BEAUTIFUL, taller French doors and/or beautiful views, etc. I worry that the ordinary won’t look as beautiful emphasized in black. Do you have any thoughts?

Yessss!! Black and so chic and versatile. I can see it working in a more traditional/farmhouse home as well as something more modern or eclectic. I am dying to do this too, but it’s crucial that you have a good amount of light, but not TOO bright otherwise the lack of window treatments would be completely unrealistic. I fight with these beautiful images again and again because they never show window treatments which is so impractical for most windows! Still drooling though….

I have wanted to paint our doors black for a long time, but we live in a 1,000 sq ft rectangle w/few windows. I worry it might make it feel closed in. But man, those are lovely photos and lovely design.

The painters are coming tomorrow and I’ve picked black for the front and back doors (interior and exterior). Glad I’m on trend! But, I’m too chicken to paint all the doors in my house black. Hopefully it will make a fun impact.

WOW!!! The “trend” is just catching up to me and my modest little 1986 Del Webb-built house in an HOA in sunny Sun City West, Arizona. I have dark-framed windows throughout (and I say dark because at 30 years, they’re more of a very darkish brown rather than black – looks more authentic to me I guess because it is.) Absolutely one of my favorite aspects of my house and I’m so grateful that the HOA does not allow owners to change the window color. With regard to window height and grandness of the home, I too crush over those, but my little duplex has 8’ ceilings at all the windows (with a vaulted ceiling in the open LR/D’office) and the windows are wonderful. The front windows are mullioned and the two 8’ wide windows in the MBR and LR are picture windows with a slider on each side and both look out onto a beautiful greenbelt with trees scattered throughout (including a grapefruit right outside my LR window) plus a patio door in the LR and one in the kitchen plus 2 windows over the corner sink. There are also eaves around the house which makes for a shaded interior with direct sunlight coming in from the front in the morning (faces due east) and direct sunlight from the back for a brief period in the afternoon (faces due west) because protected by the trees. “Shaded”, yes, but not “dark”. My window treatments are ultra simple and mainly for privacy at night (I can’t tolerate looking out into black and knowing that someone outside can look in at me in light). The first thing I do when I get up in the morning is walk through the house (with a smile on my face) pulling back the drapes or curtains throughout. Because the front windows are rather close to the street, I have sheers for a bit of privacy and/or to cut the glare (my office is in the former dining room). Otherwise, every other window is wide open all day except the south-facing kitchen window which needs a light buffer from the intensity of the afternoon sun (happily there’s also a solar tube in the kitchen). Don’t mean to go on and on about me but just want to let Alice and Stefanie and others know that these beauties can be had in a smaller home. My home and its setting has always reminded me a bit of a modest Santa Barbara bungalow and I love it. By the way, my walls in the bedrooms are still the original softer white but the other rooms are all painted in a very soft yellow beige and I love them both – my color palette is cream – but obviously from the pics Kate shows, cream isn’t the only way to go.

A lot of people in my neighborhood (newer builds) use black windows. I think it looks really nice when the house is getting built, however, once the homeowners move in and put window coverings, I feel like it looks terrible from the outside! I think black windows are dramatic and make a statement, but they are really hard to dress inside to look good from the outside. Just my opinion, but something to give some thought to! My neighbors have black trimmed window and then put white shutters on the inside…it is very stark. The pictures are beautiful and dramatic above, but only the bedroom appears to have roller shades. Wonder what the outside view is?